Approval workflow - commercial

Understand how transactions are evaluated and approved, from the moment a user signs in to when a transaction executes.

Configuring approval workflow is an administrator task, but understanding how it works is useful for all users, especially approvers and initiators.

Here's how the system evaluates a transaction:

  1. At sign-in, permission rules shape the user's view. Menus and accounts they can't access are automatically hidden.
  2. When a transaction is created, the system checks permission rules. Does this user have the right to create this transaction?
  3. Next, limit rules are checked. Does the transaction fall within configured dollar value or count limits?
  4. If both checks pass, signature rules are evaluated. If a rule applies, all qualified approvers are notified.
  5. Once an approver acts, the system re-evaluates signature rules to check if the required combination is satisfied.
  6. The transaction executes as soon as one signature rule combination is fully met.
  7. If no rule is met, the process continues until the initiator cancels it or it expires after 10 days.

Here's how to assign sign types to your users:

  • Sign types identify approval authority across 5 levels (A through E). Type A has the highest authority.
  • Assign A to the highest authority level, B to the next, and so on, matching your organization’s signing structure.
  • Staff with online banking access but no approval authority should always be assigned Sign Type E.
  • If your organization doesn't need an approval workflow, set all users to Sign Type A.

Role quick reference

Administrators configure access, limits, and signature rules. Approvers review, approve, or reject transactions. Initiators recall, resubmit, or reuse transactions.

Tip: A user's sign type applies across all permission groups. An approver can approve transactions initiated in a different group.



More account management

Approval workflow (Commercial)

See how the system evaluates a transaction from sign-in through final approval. Get step-by-step explanations and learn how to assign sign types to your users.

Set up approvals

Limits and behavior (Commercial)

Learn how dollar value and transaction count limits work, including cascade behaviour and how currency conversions are evaluated against CAD limits.

Learn about limits

Creating permission groups (Commercial)

Permission groups control what your users can see and do. They define which accounts users can access, which transactions they can initiate, and the level of access they have.

Create a group

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